GB2224134A

GB2224134A - Protective goggles.

Info

Publication number: GB2224134A
Application number: GB8923443A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Richard T Metcalfe; Arthur J Salce
Original assignee: American Optical Corp
Current assignee: American Optical Corp
Priority date: 1988-10-18
Filing date: 1989-10-18
Publication date: 1990-04-25
Anticipated expiration: 2009-10-18
Also published as: GB2224134B; CA1325498C; GB8923443D0; US4977627A

Description

1 54-307.504 PROTECTIVE GOGGLES 2 2 "/-' 4 '1 J' 4 This invention relates

generally to protective goggles, for example goggles which have a flexible lens housing.

Flexible mask goggles are well known and comprise a flexible (typically vinyl) shroud or housing which incorporates a substantially flat lens. When used as an impact goggle, the lens housing includes a plurality of spaced openings or holes along the top and/or sides for permitting direct ventilation into and out of the goggle interior. However, such impact goggles cannot be used as either splash or chemical goggles. This is because chemical goggles require indirect ventilation and splash goggles require peripheral indirect ventilation; neither of which are available from the plurality of spaced holes in the impact goggles. As a result, a goggle manufacturer must make and sell two or three different types of flexible mask goggles, all of which differ only in the ventilation structure. Of course, the necessity for all of these goggle types incur higher manufacturing and purchasing costs.

Still another drawback to the prior art flexible mask goggles is the flat lens. This lens has poor lateral and downward viewing areas resulting in undesired "tunnel vision" 2 Viewed from one aspect the invention provides protective goggles comprising:

a housing, said housing having an upper portion, a lower portion and a pair of opposed side portions which together define a front opening and a rear opening, said upper portion having a rearward surface adapted to conform to the brow of a wearer and said lower portion having a rearward surface adapted to conform to the cheeks and nose of a wearer; a lens having attaching means for attaching to said front opening of said housing; an upper ventilation section on said upper portion of said housing, said upper ventilation section comprising an array of upper openings for providing direct ventilation; and at least one lower ventilation section on said lower portion of said housing, said lower ventilation section comprising an array of lower openings for providing direct ventilation.

Viewed from another aspect the invention provides protective goggles comprising:

a housing, said housing having an upper portion, a lower portion and a pair of opposed side portions which together define a front opening and a rear opening, said upper portion having a rearward surface adapted to conform to the brow of a wearer and said lower portion having a rearward surface adapted to conform to the cheeks and nose of a wearer; 4 3 a lens having attaching means for attaching to said front opening of said housing; at least one ventilation section on said housing, said ventilation section comprising an array of openings for providing direct ventilation, said array of openings defining a plurality of adjacent and aligned columns and rows of openings.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, a flexible mask goggle is provided which comprises a flexible shroud or housing which receives an optically transparent lens, the housing including ventilation structure along the upper and lower portions thereof, wherein, on the upper portion, this ventilation structure comprises an array of spaced slots while the ventilation on the lower portion comprises two spaced groups or arrays containing similar spaced slots. It will be appreciated that both the upper and lower vents permit direct airflow in and out of the goggle.

In an important preferred feature of the present invention, removable caps are snap locked over the upper and lower ventilation structure. This snap locking is accomplished through flexible hooked arms on the caps which are received through selected slots in the ventilation structure. These caps convert the otherwise direct airflow through the vents to an indirect airflow; and thus convert the application of the goggles from impact to chemical or splash. Thus, a single pair of flexible mask goggles can be used for both impact and 4 chemical or splash applications with only the addition of small, inexpensive snap-on caps. The goggles are therefore particularly well suited for use as either an impact or chemical splash goggle; but may also be used 5 as protective goggles for sporting applications.

Viewed from a further aspect the invention provides a lens configuration which comprises a three section cylindrical lens consisting of two intersecting cylinder curves. This lens structure provides a significantly improved viewing area in both the frontal, downward and particularly lateral directions, as compared to the flat lens configuration of the prior art. As a result, the lens structure of this invention does not suffer from the "tunnel vision" of the prior art.

Certain preferred embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:Figure I is an exploded view of a flexible mask goggle in acordance with the present invention; Figure 2 is an exploded cross sectional elevation view along the lines 2- 2 of Figure 1; Figure 3 is an exploded cross sectional elevation view along the lines 3- 3 of Figure 1; Figure 3A is an enlarged cross-sectional assembled view similar to the view of Figure 3; Figure 4A is a front elevation view of the upper cap for snap locking onto the goggle of Figure 1; Figure 4B is a top elevation view of the cap of Figure 4A; Figure 4C is a side elevation view of the cap of Figure 4A; Figure SA is a front elevation view of a lower cap which is snap locked onto the goggle of Figure 1; Figure 5B is a plan interior view of the cap of Figure SA; Figure Figure SA; SC is a side perspective view of the cap of 6 FIGURE 6 is a perspective front elevation view of a flexible mask goggle in accordance with a first embodiment of the presert invention; FIGURE 7 is a plan view of the goggle of FIGURE 6; FIGURE 8 is a front elevation view of the goggle of FIGURE 6; FIGURE 9 is a side elevation view of the goggle of FIGURE 6; FIGURE 10 is a rear view of the goggle of FIGURE 6; FIGURE 11 is a bottom view of the goggle of FIGURE 6; FIGURE 12 is a pe"spective front elevation view of a flexible mask goggle in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention; FIGURE 13 is a plan view of the goggle of FIGURE 12; FIGURE 14 is a front elevation view of the goggle of FIGURE 12; FIGURE 15 is an end view of the goggle of FIGURE 12; FIGURE 16 is a rear view of the goggle of FIGURE 12; and FIGURE 17 is a bottom view of the goggle of FIGURE 12.

Referring initially to FIGURES 6-11, a pair of flexible mask goggles in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention is shown generally at 10. Goggle 10 comprises a flexible (e.g. vinyl) shroud or housing 12 having a front opening for receiving and retaining a lens 13. Shroud 12 includes an upper portion 14, a pair of lateral or side portions 16 and 18 and a bottom portion 20. Upper portion 14 has a curved rearward surface 22 for effectinga snug fit on the forehead or brow of the wearer. Similarly, bottom portion 20 7 includes a rearward surface 24 and nose piece 25 which is adapted to effect a snug fit against the upper portion of the wearers nose and cheeks. Upper portion 14 also includes a raised central area 14A which supports an upper ventilation section 26. Likewise, lower portion 20 also houses a pair of spaced lower ventilation sections 28. Rearward surface 22 of upper portion 14 includes a depending lip which is retained against the forehead of the wearer. Similar flexible lips are found along the side '!dges of rearward surface 24 and the two locations indicated at 30 on side portions 16 and 18.

Large multiple headband slots 32 are located along the side sections 16 and 18 of goggle 10. Each slot 32 is defined by a longitudinal member 34 extending between a pair of transverse lateral arms 36. In addition, as shown in FIGURES 8 and 9,.a second longitudinal member 38 is also positioned between laterally extending arms 36 to define slot 32. Second longitudinal member 38 is spaced back from member 34 to define there between a groove 40, In this way, a strap may be threaded through slot 32, around member 34, through groove 40 and then back through slot 32 as shown in FIGURE 9.

Referring now to FIGURE 1, optically transparent (generally plastic) lens 13 is a novel three section cylindrical lens comprising two intersecting cylinder curves so as to define a front lens portion 46 and a pair of side lenses 48. This novel lens 13 offers an improved viewing area in the front direction and particularly in the lateral viewing area as compared to prior art flat lens goggles. In fact, the lens surface area of lens 13 has been increased by twentyfive percent in the forward

8 area and approximately forty percent overall when compared to the prior art flat lens goggle. This increased lens size eliminates "tunnel vision" and restricted lateral viewing that is presently associated with existing flexible goggle lenses.

Lens retention to housing 12 is accomplished using a plurality (preferably 15) of rearwardly extending rigid arms 50 which terminate at small retaining hooks 52. These small locking arms 50 are received in a plurality of matching semi-circular opening 54 which extend completely through lens housing 12. It will be appreciated that locking arms 50 are sized to travel completely through lens housing openings 54 so that retaining hooks 52 will form a snug positive lock to the goggle housing structure. Such an attachment system not only provides a positive lens lock, but also allows flexibility in the goggle structure. In addition, a ridge 56 is provided along the entire periphery of housing 12 so that when lens 13 is locked into the lens housing 12, ridge 56 will support and be flush with lens 13. In side portions 16 and 18 of housing 12, ridge 56 cooperates with housing 12 to define a groove 57 which receives and fully surrounds and supports side lenses 48.

It will be appreciated that the rearwardly extending locking fingers 50 are designed to allow press molding without any secondary operations and therefore substantially lower the manufacturing and assembly costs of lens 13.

As discussed, the present invention includes upper and lower ventilation portions 26 and 28. Referring to FIGURES 1 and 6-11, the upper ventilation portion comprises an array of slots or openings defined by a plurality of spaced parallel, vertical 9 walls 58 which are intersected by three transverse sidewalls 60. It will be appreciated that walls 60 run essentially horizontal and perpendicular to vertical walls 58. Also, as will be discussed hereinafter, walls 60 have a slightly lower height than walls 58. Together, walls 58 and 60 define an array of openings 62 having two rows. openings 62 are sized to allow for air passage through the inside of the goggle, but are small enough to restrict objects from entering. At about the center of the array of openings is a square area denoted by the nitmeral 64 having a rectangular opening 66 therethrough. A flexible flap or extension 68 is spaced from the ventilation section 26 and defines a small gap 69 therebetween.

Goggle 10 also includes a pair of lower ventilation ports 28 on lower portion 20 of housing 12 (see FIGURE 11). Each ventilation section 28 is substantially similar to upper ventilation section 26 and is thus comprised of a plurality of parallel spaced walls O intersected by three spaced transverse walls 72 to define two rows of openings 74. Also, as in upper ventilation section 26, in lower ventilation sections 28, walls 70 have a height which are somewhat larger than walls 72.

The flexible mask goggle of FIGURES 6-11 thus has ventilation sections 26 and 28 which afford direct passage of air into and out of the goggle. This feature makes goggle 10 well suited for use where impact protection is needed. In a ddition, the goggle depicted in FIGURES 6-11 may also be used in other sporting applications such as skiing and racquet sports.

Referring now to FIGURES 1-5 and 12-17, an important feature of the present invention is the presence of removable snap-on caps 78 and 94 which convert the direct ventilation holes 60 and 76 to indirect ventilation holes. This is accomplished in upper ventilation section 26 by an upper snap-on cap 78. Vent cap 78 is preferably one- piece molded plastic and has an aesthetically pleasing outside surface consisting of alternating hills and valleys shown at 80. Cap 78 has a pair of opposed upper and lower;s+det walls 82 and 84 which define a U- shape together with the front undulating section 80. The opposed ends of ventilation caps 78 6ch have a pair of flexible arms 86 which terminate at a hook portion 88. Each pair of arms 86 is sized and spaced so as to be received in an opposed pair of openings 60 in the array of openings of ventilation section 26. Thus, when cap 78 is aligned with ventilation section 26, resilient arms 86 are forced through the appropriate opening 60 until hook portions 88 snap through and are retained by housing portion 12. In addition, cap 78 includes a central arm 90 which terminates in a flat rectangular member 92. It will be appreciated that when cap 78 is attached to ventilation portion 26, arm 90 will be forced through opening 66 so that rectangular head 92 of arm 90 wil-1. snap through opening 6 and be retained by housing 12. The inside surface of cap 78 incudes a plurality of stand-offs 93 which acts to step cap 78 away from upper ventilation portion 26.

Similarly, lower ventilation sections 26 each receive a loser protective insulation cap 94 which has a front ridged surface 96 and a pair of depending side surfaces 98 which together define a U-shaped cross section. Each cap 94 also includes opposed pairs of resilient finger elements 100 which 11 terminate at hooks 102. Resilient members 100 and hooks 102 are forced through openings 76 of lower ventilation portions 28 to form a snug snap lock therewith. Like upper ventilation cap 78, lower ventilation caps 94 include a plurality of stand-offs 103 (see FIGURE 5B) for stepping caps 94 away from lower ventilation portions 28.

In applications where splash and chemical protection is a requirement, the protective ventilation caps 78 and 94 can be easily installed onto--upper and lower ventilation sections 26 and 28. When in place, the ventilation caps 78 and 94 will provide splash protection and also provide an indirect path for air circulation. This indirect path is clearly shown in the cross sectional FIGURE 3A and results from the stand- offs 93 and 103 precluding the caps 78 and 94, respectively from fully. closing the vents. Thus, by virtue of the stand-offs, air is allowed to circulate around the top and bottom sides of the caps. It will be appreciated that the gap 70 defined by outwardly extending ridge 68 will receive upper surface 82 of cap 78 so as to cover the top portion of this upper vent cap. This overhead flap 68 will thus provide additional protection from overhead splashes and prevent liquids from entering the indirect ventilation path.

The protective goggles provide many important features and advantages over prior art protective goggles. An important feature is that the addition of ventilation caps 78 and 94 will convert the protective goggles (of FIGURES 6-11) from use merely in impact applications to use in splash protection and chemical protection (FIGURES 12-17).

12- Jor art wherein separate This is an important feature over the pr. goggl es had to be manufactured for either impact uses or chemical and splash uses. Thus, a single housing 12 and lens 13 may be used for either impact or chemical and splash applications with only the necessity of providing the relatively inexpensive caps 78 and 94 for conversion from impact to splash or chemical uses. This leads to far lower manufacturing and purchasing costs relative to the prior art.

Still another imp6rtant feature is the use of novel lens 13 which is comprised of a three-section cylindrical configuration. This lens substantially increases the viewing area in both the forward and lateral directions relative to the flat lens products of the prior art and eliminates the "tunnel vision" drawback associated with the. prior art goggles.

The housing 12 also incorporates pantoscopic angle design which allows exceptional viewing in the forward and down positions and which was not present in prior art flat lens goggles. The housing configuration allows the housing to fit the wearer more comfortably w)ile also placing or orienting the lens at the proper attitude in front of the wearer's eyes.

In addition, the interior recess defined by outwardly extending section 14A of housing 12 provides the necessary clearance to permit the wearing of spectacle temples by the wearer of the gogg;es.

It will be appreciated that while a 'preferred embodiment of the present invention utilizes a lens 13 having two intersecting 13 cylinder curves, the present invention also contemplates the use of a conventional flat or spherical lens surface on the siqe panels intersecting the front lens portion.

While preferred embodiments have been shown and described, various modifications and substitutions may be made thereto without departing from the scope of the invention. Accordingly, it is to be understood that the present invention has been described by way of illustration and not limitation.

It is to be clearly understood that there are no particular features of the foregoing specification, or of any claims appended hereto, which are at present regarded as being essential to the performance of the present invention, and that any one or more of such features or combinations thereof may therefore be included in, added to, omitted from or deleted from any of such claims if and when amended during the prosecution of this application or in the filing or prosecution of any divisional application based thereon. Furthermore the manner in which any of such features of the specification or claims are described or defined may be amended, broadened or otherwise modified in any manner which falls within the knowledge of a person skilled in the relevant art, for example so as to encompass, either implicitly or explicitly, equivalents or generalisations thereof.

14

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. Protective goggles comprising: a housing, said housing having an upper portion, a lower portion and a pair of opposed side portions which together define a front opening and a rear opening, said upper portion having a rearward surface adapted to conform to the brow of a wearer and said lower portion having a rearward surface adapted to conform to the cheeks and nose of a wearer; a lens having attaching means for attaching to said front opening of said housing; an upper ventilation section on said upper portion of said housing, said upper ventilation section comprising an array of upper openings for providing direct ventilation; and at least one lower ventilation section on said lower portion of said housing, said lower ventilation section comprising an array of lower openings for providing direct ventilation.

2. Protective goggles as claimed in claim 1, including: an upper ventilation cap attachable over said upper ventilation section, said upper ventilation cap including means for providing indirect ventilation through said upper openings; and a lower ventilation cap attachable over said lower ventilation section, said lower ventilation cap including means for providing indirect ventilation through said lower openings.

3. Protective goggles as claimed in claim 2, wherein said upper ventilation cap includes resilient arm means terminating at first locking means, said arm means being received in corresponding of said upper openings wherein said first locking means locks said upper ventilation cap to said housing upper portion; and said lower ventilation cap includes resilient arm means terminating at second locking means, said arm means being received in corresponding of said lower openings wherein said second locking means locks said lower ventilation cap to said housing lower portion.

4. Protective goggles as claimed in claim 3, wherein said upper ventilation section includes a central opening and wherein: said upper ventilation cap further includes a central member extending therefrom and terminating at third locking means, said central member being received in said central opening to further lock said upper ventilation cap to said housing upper portion.

5. Protective goggles as claimed in claim 2, 3 or 4, wherein each of said upper and lower ventilation caps comprises:

16 a top surface and a pair of opposed side surfaces defining an approximate U-shaped cross section.

6. Protective goggles as claimed in claim 5, wherein:

said top surface has an undulating configuration.

7. Protective goggles as claimed in any of claims 2 to 6, wherein: said upper portion of said housing includes a flexible flap extending outwardly therefrom, said flap being spaced from the body of the upper ventilation section to define a gap between said flap and said body.

8. Protective goggles as claimed in claim 7, wherein: a portion of said upper ventilation cap is inserted in said gap between said flap and the body of the upper ventilation section.

9. Protective goggles as claimed in any of claims 2 to 8, wherein said upper and lower ventilation sections each comprise:

a plurality of spaced first wall members; and at least one second wall member transverse to said first wall members, said first and second wall members defining said upper or lower openings.

10. Protective goggles as claimed in claim 9, wherein said means for providing indirect ventilation includes:

A a i 17 stand-off means on said caps for preventing said caps from closing said ventilation sections wherein an indirect ventilation path is defined between said caps and said ventilation sections.

11. Protective goggles as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein: said housing upper portion has a raised central area defining an interior recess, said upper ventilation 10 section forming a portion of said raised central area.

12. Protective goggles as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein: said lens includes a front portion and a pair of opposed side portions extending laterally from said front portion.

is

13. Protective goggles as claimed in claim 12 wherein: said front portion and opposed side portions comprise two intersecting cylindrical curves.

14. Protective goggles as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the lens attaching means comprises: a plurality of spaced hooked protrusions extending outwardly from the periphery of said lens; and a plurality of matching holes along the periphery of said front opening of said housing, said hooked protrusions being received by said holes to lock said i 1 18 lens to said housing.

15. Protective goggles as claimed in claim 14, including: 5 a ridge surrounding and spaced from said front opening of said housing, said lens abutting said ridge and said lens being approximately flush with said ridge.

16. Protective goggles as claimed in claim 12 or 13, wherein each of said side portions of said housing terminate at said front opening of said housing at a groove and wherein:

said opposed side portions of said lens are received and retained by said grooves.

is

17. Protective goggles as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein: a pair of spaced lower ventilation sections are provided on said lower portion of said housing.

18. Protective goggles as claimed in any preceding claim, including: strap retaining means on each of said side portions of said housing.

19. Protective goggles as claimed in claim 18, wherein said strap retaining means comprises: a pair of spaced lateral members extending from 19 said side portions; and a first substantially vertical member between said lateral members and spaced from said side portions.

20. Protective goggles as claimed in claim 19, including: a second substantially vertical member between said lateral members and spaced from both said first vertical member and said side portions, said first vertical member having a different height from said second vertical member.

21. Protective goggles comprising: a housing, said housing having an upper portion, a lower portion and a pair of opposed side portions which together define a front opening and a rear opening, said upper portion having a rearward surface adapted to conform to the brow of a wearer and said lower portion having a rearward surface adapted to conform to the cheeks and nose of a wearer; a lens having attaching means for attaching to said front opening of said housing; at least one ventilation section on said housing, said ventilation section comprising an array of openings for providing direct ventilation, said array of openings defining a plurality of adjacent and aligned columns and rows of openings.

22. Protective goggles as claimed in claim 21, including: a ventilation cap attachable over said ventilation section, said ventilation cap including means for providing indirect ventilation through said openings.

23. Protective goggles as claimed in claim 22, wherein: said ventilation cap includes resilient arm means terminating at first locking means, said arm means being received in corresponding of said openings wherein said first locking means locks said ventilation cap to said housing.

24. Protective goggles as claimed in claim 22 or 23, wherein said ventilation cap comprises: a top surface and a pair of opposed side surfaces defining an approximate U-shaped cross section.

25. Protective goggles as claimed in claim 24, wherein: said top surface has an undulating configuration.

26. Protective goggles as claimed in any of claims 21 to 25, wherein the or each ventilation section comprises: 25 a plurality of spaced first wall members; and at least one second wall member transverse to said first wall members, said first and second wall members defining said array of openings.

21

27. Protective goggles as claimed in any of claims 22 to 25, wherein said means for providing indirect ventilation includes: 5 stand-off means on said cap for preventing said cap from closing said ventilation section wherein an indirect ventilation path is defined between said cap and said ventilation section.

28. Protective goggles as claimed in any of claims 21 to 27, wherein:

said lens includes a front portion and a pair of opposed side portions extending laterally from said front protion.

is

29. Protective goggles as claimed in claim 28, wherein said front portion and opposed side portions comprise two intersecting cylindrical curves.

30. Protective goggles as claimed in any of claims 21 to 29, wherein the lens attaching means comprises: a plurality of spaced hooked protrusions extending outwardly from the periphery of said lens; and a plurality of matching holes along the periphery of said front opening of said housing, said hooked protrusions being received by said holes to lock said lens to said housing.

1 22

31. Protective goggles as claimed in claim 30, including: a ridge surrounding and spaced from said front opening of said housing, said lens abutting said ridge and said lens being approximately flush with said ridge.

32. Protective goggles as claimed in claim 28 or 29, wherein each of said side portions of said housing terminate at said front opening of said housing at a groove and wherein: said opposed side portions of said lens are received and retained by said grooves.

33. Protective goggles substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

e,StaUHouse,86071 High HOIbOr-'1,LOndOnWClR4TP.Further copies M&Ybe obtained from The petentOffice.

published 1990 at The a by Multiplex techniques ltd, St MarY Cray, Kent, Con. IiS7 Sales Branch, St Mary Cray, Orpington, Kent BR5 3RD. Printed 1 1 1 1